March 4, 2018

Vietnam Holds 168 Prisoners of Conscience: Now!Campaign

by • [Human Rights]

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NOW! CAMPAIGN NEWSLETTER, February 28, 2018

On 11 November 2017, the coalition launched the NOW! Campaign, calling on the Vietnamese government to immediately and unconditionally release all prisoners of conscience. 165 prisoners of conscience in Vietnam were identified, bloggers, lawyers, unionists, land rights activists, political dissidents and followers of non-registered minority religions who have not used violence or advocated violence or hatred.

Since, 2 prisoners have been released, 9 detainees pending trial have been convicted and 5 individuals have been added to the list. The list account now for 168 prisoners of conscience, 15 of whom are female.

Releases

Can Thi Theu

Can Thi Theu is a well-known land right activist, accused of posting photos on her Facebook page and inciting protests against reclamation of land in Duong Noi, Ha Dong district, Hanoi.

She was arrested twice for her activism. The first time in April 2014. She spent 15 months behind bars for her “activities against public officials” under Article 257. She was arrested the second time in June 2016 on charges of disturbing public order under Article 245, and was sentenced on 30 September 2016 to 20 months in prison.

She was released on February 10, 2018, after serving full sentence.

Nguyen Dinh Ngoc

Nuyen Ding Ngoc is a blogger who advocated for freedom of expression and human rights. He wrote articles about corruption and injustice which were published on independent websites.

Arrested at his home on 27 December 2014 and held in pre-trial detention at an unknown location until his trial on 30 March 2016, he was charged with “conducting propaganda against the state” under Article 88 and sentenced to 4 years’ imprisonment. It was reduced to 3 years and 3 years’ house arrest on appeal on 5 October 2016.

He was released on December 27, 2017 after serving his full sentence.

Convictions

9 detainees pending trial have been convicted, receiving sentences totalling 61 years and six months’ imprisonment followed by 5 years’ house arrest:

  • Nguyen Van Hoa, was convicted under Article 88, “Conducting propaganda against the state”, and sentenced to 7 years in prison and 3 years’ probation on release on 23 November 2017.
  • Tran Hoang Phuc, Nguyen Van Dien and Vu Quang Thuan were tried together and sentenced under Article 88 on 31 January 2018. They received respectively 6 years, 6 years and 8 years in prison.
  • Dr Ho Van Hai was convicted during a secret trial held on 1 February 2018. Charged under Article 88, he was sentenced to 4 years in prison and 2 years of probation.
  • Hoang Duc Binh, the prominent blogger and outspoken activist about the Formosa ecological disaster, was sentenced to 14 years in prison under Article 330 of the 2015 Penal Code, “Resisting persons in the performance of their official duties”, and Article 331, “Abusing democratic freedoms to infringe upon the interests of the State” on 6 February 2018.
  • Finally, the 3 Hoa Hao Buddhists Bui Van Trung, Bui Van Tham and Nguyen Hoang Nam were sentenced under Article 245 on 9 February 2018, “Causing public disorder”. Bui Van Tham was also charged under Article 247, “Resisting persons in the performance of their official duties”. They received respectively, 6 years, 6 years and 4 years in prison.

Additions

5 individuals have been added to the list:

  1. Nguyen Van Truong, an online activists that has denounced corruption of Thai Nguyen officials, was arrested on 9 February 2018 under Article 331 of the 2015 Criminal Code: “Abusing democratic freedoms to infringe upon the interests of the State”.
  2. Bui Thi Bich Tuyen, daughter of Bui Van Trung, was convicted under charge of “Causing public disorder” on 9 February 2018 and received 3 years — whereas she was not detained but her movement where restrained to her vicinity.
  3. Le Thi Hong Hanh, a Hoa Hao Buddhist, friend and follower of Bui Van Trung, was also convicted under charge of “Causing public disorder” along with Bui Thi Bich Tuyen, Bui Van Trung, Bui Van Tham and Nguyen Hoang Nam on 9 February 2018. She received a 3 years prison sentence;
  4. Vu Van Hung, former teacher, pro-democracy activist and member of the Brotherhood for democracy, is detained incommunicado since 4 January 2018 and awaits for his trial under charge of “Causing public disorders”, Article 318 of the 2015 Penal Code. He is the eighth member, or former member, of the Brotherhood for Democracy to be held in pre-trial detention since December 2016;
  5. Nguyen Nam Phong, the unfortunate driver of Hoang Duc Binh and catholic priest Nguyen Dinh Thuc, was arrested on 28 November 2017, 6 months after Binh’s arrest, and convicted under charge of “Causing public disorder” on 6 February 2018. He received a 2 years prison sentence.

The Campaign is pleased to announce that the NOW! Newsletter will be sent every 3 months, providing updates on the releases of those named in the database and the arrests of others who meet our definition of Prisoner of Conscience (POC).

 

The website has been updated and is now available in English and Vietnamese.

You can download the new Database by clicking on the link below and visit our website for a detailed analysis of the 2017 Database: vietnampocs.com

 

If you wish to receive weekly updates on Vietnamese human rights defenders, please subscribe to our partners’ Newsletters:

The 88 Project Free Expression NewsLetter and Defend the Defenders

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